Guest Reviews

Villa Mathis: "Quelle sérénité"

For our first time in Bali, we chose to stay at La Villa Mathis. We loved this haven. This hotel is a beautiful concept, atypical bedrooms in small independent corners with 4 pools in total! You feel free to move in the middle of this very restful greenery, to swim where you want. Everything is well thought out, very nice decor throughout the hotel, plus personal pampering and smiling throughout the day! What happiness! We will not hesitate to return and reside also in Ubud. We go to lunch at Mathis Retreat during our day in Ubud and it is also a delight. What serenity !!

villa mathis: "Impeccable service in a stunning location"

"I stayed overnight at Villa Mathis (lombok room). The room is huge and very beautiful. The decor is sumptuous. My room had an office desk, which is perfect for laptop (work). The restaurant and the gardens/houses are interesting : there are statues, curtains, giant chairs and stone chess boards, as well as reading areas. - So much space!! The gardens are impeccably manicured. The staff is experienced but at the same time they are discreet. Breakfast is huge (too much:) and they have decent coffee. The bungalows are in what they call a ""villa""; grouped around a pool and open space living area. And everywhere you look, you can discover museum-like items.I didn't venture into the other areas but I understand that each bungalow is different. I was in an area called ""maison rouge"". Definitely a great romantic hotel. "

Tugu Bali: "Quiet and Quixotic"

Happy greeting at the airport and then in true Bali fashion a journey of faith to get to your hotel, through by roads and back roads but was that faith rewarded!! Entering the Tugu you enter old magical Bali and it remains that way for your whole stay. Our suite, while expensive was somewhere we could hang out most of the day if we chose with our own little garden and swimming pool. The hotel gardens are beautiful during the day and enchantingl at night. The staff were, without exception, charming and helpful and yoga and the spa a real treat. Loved the food and had the majority of our meals in the hotel. Don't all rush as we want to go back when we can!!

Dewakan: "Molecular gastronomy and haute cuisine for traditional Malay flavours"

"The best meal I have ever eaten, and my wife thought the same. And we have eaten in a lot of excellent restaurants around the world. This relatively new restaurant must be heading for a Michelin star before very long. The 10 course tasting menu included some of the finest and most surprising dishes I have ever tasted. Outrageously bold and delicious flavour and texture combinations using traditional Malay flavours and local ingredients, served with genuine flair for presentation. The staff provide wonderful service in this small restaurant currently housed in KDU university buildings. Go. Go soon before it becomes impossible to get a table. Go so you can tell people you supported this chef and this restaurant before they were famous."

Slow Villas and Spa: "Le paradis sur terre"

"L'équipe de slowvillas est aux petits soins pour vous, ils s'occupent des fastboat, des sorties plongée, qui soit dit en passant méritent à elles seules le détour. Le lieu est magnifique, villas privées avec piscine personnelle, petit déjeuner copieux, les chambres sont magnifiques. Sur l'île seulement les chants des oiseaux, le bruit des petits poneys tirant les cimodo pour le transport des touristes, et la mosquée, le tout dans une ambiance de détente absolue. Encore merci à l'equipe de slow villas de nous avoir aussi bien reçues, c'était un petit paradis"

Nimmu House: "Best beginning to our trip"

"We visited Leh in July 2017 and stayed at Nimmu house only for the 1st night of the trip. We regretted that decision immediately as we reached Nimmu and would have LOVED to stay longer but it was not possible. Nonetheless, our short stay was wonderful. We stayed at one of the tents in the garden - the rooms and restrooms were done up very tastefully, extremely spacious, beds were comfortable, there was hot water running all day, rooms (or tents rather) were clean and tidy. The food at this property was YUM! starting with the fresh Apricot juice to the lunch and dinner, we did not have a single reason to complain about the food. However the best were the desserts - we had a chocolate pie which was out of the world. we were a group of 11 people and i don't think anyone would disagree that it was one of the best desserts we had ever eaten! As it was our first day we keeping it low - loitering in the property, chilling in the garden, sleeping on the hammocks, attended the complimentary pranayam session by Indrani - which was lovely. (She did conduct a yoga session for a couple of my friends but i gave that a miss). The staff overall are extremely friendly. Special mention to Samarth and his wife (they run the place). Overall, id recommend this place. If you want to visit the Leh town on a daily basis during your trip it MAY get tiresome as its some 30 km (or 18.6 miles) one way however id definitely recommend spending a couple of days at this property irrespective. You will not be disappointed. P.S: Samarth if you're reading, am looking forward to coming back!"

Sanak Retreat Bali: "perfect for relaxing"

This retreat was so dreamy. The room is stunning, with the option to open up the whole room with sliding glass doors. Food was very good. We did the trek to a waterfall with Gusti ( our guide). He was so lovely, very smiley and friendly. He explained the local work and introduced us to the local people. We were delighted to have such a great tour guide. We also did a spa treatment, I have to say it was the best massage in Bali. This Retreat is surrounded by nature. It is so charming, I would recommend for light sleepers to bring ear plugs. The sound of frogs, birds and the river was very peaceful.

Le Calao: "Superb."

We can’t praise this restaurant enough. It has only recently opened and there are a few minor details that need sorting (like no bread and butter plates for the delicious and generous servings of complimentary home made rolls) but the main thing is the food, and that is exquisite. The ambiance puts you immediately in a good mood and the staff are attentive without being over the top. The Lao menu is extensive and is quite difficult to trawl through unless you have a good knowledge of the dishes and how big or small they are. I had pork stew not realising it was more of a soup. My mistake, but delicious just the same. Two nights later we went again and stuck to the Western menu. My wife had a repeat of the French Onion Soup followed by the Mushroom Ravioli. I had the Pumpkin Soup and Roast Pork Knuckle. All dishes were beyond compare and a testament to the Chef’s expertise. A delicious red and white house wine each topped off a beautiful night and at a surprisingly reasonable price of US$70. Remember, the Ravioli is to die for.

Zhiwa Ling: "Beautiful hotel in Paro, Bhutan"

This is a beautiful hotel in the magical and serene Paro valley in Bhutan, a place as faraway as one can imagine and more than a bit like the fictional Shangri La. Constructed in the architectural style of the country, it is a gorgeous property, with lots of open space. Rooms are located in about eight separate buildings, four to six rooms per building, all with balconies facing the nearby river. Our room was spacious and very nicely decorated; it included separate tub and shower, comfortable king size bed, balcony seating area and more than ample closet space. The fitness center is reasonably well equipped and situated in a large, attractive space adjacent to a large indoor swimming pool. The lobby and public meeting spaces are distinctively and comfortably furnished and decorated in the local style. The staff is as gracious and anxious to please as one can find in a hotel anywhere. This is a top tier hotel by any standard.

MesaStila: "Number 1, 2 and 3 on my list…."

"Breathtaking. Wonderful room with wonderful views. Great staff. Wonderful dinner and breakfast. Not too many guests, which we did not mind. Mother and sister went for a couple of treatments at the spa and were impressed. Brother and I had a 06.30 trailrun with our guide Augus, probably the best morning of our holiday!"